Spy Games
by Yecart
Summary: Aurora and Alfred become closer as they discover an attraction they cannot fight.
1. Chapter 1

Aurora shifts uncomfortably in her chair. Things had been going pretty well with the team since she had taken command. Even Neil seems to have accepted her leadership well enough.

She mulls over their latest mission in her mind and smiles to herself at just how remarkable Alfred truly is. He said that she doesn't want his memory but what a gift!

To never forget anything! Ever! She supposes some things are best forgot but in terms of the resistance there is no time or place better to have such a skill as in war.

He intrigues her and she finds herself more and more attracted to his softness and the way he feels things so deeply. When he tells her that she tastes different when she speaks she doesn't know how to respond.

He speaks so passionately that she hardly knows what he means by it and whenever she asks for clarification from him they are almost always interrupted.

Now that they are holed up in the safe house in Vichy and could be there for days depending on when Neil, Tom and Harry all arrive; they have time to talk. Not that they have spoken much since they'd arrived. There had been too much to do. There had been equipment to set up for Harry, and scanning the entire place for any trace of a problem had taken most of the afternoon. They would be stationed here for sometime until further notice, as things were in motion and it was best they were in position well in advance of their upcoming instructions. This was all that they knew of their mission.

Alfred had been checking out the cans in the cupboards for something to eat, whilst she arranges rooms and works out sleeping arrangements. Not having much of an appetite herself, she encourages him to keep moving as he seemed to become too pensive when left to sit and think.

Before she knows it Alfred is approaching her with a bowl of chicken soup, smiling slightly and gesturing to sit with her.

She smiles up at him. He is kind, she thinks to herself.

"You've been really quiet since we got here," Alfred mumbles not looking at her.

Aurora looks up from her bowl of soup, "I guess I am just tired or something," she shrugs thinking of the three rooms and wondering where they will all sleep once more.

"Have I made you uncomfortable," Alfred asks, looking down and away, embarrassed.

"What? No, no, not at all," she exclaims in surprise.

They maintain eye contact for a long moment and then Alfred looks away again.

"I thought maybe," Alfred pauses not knowing how to articulate exactly what he is thinking.

"You thought, what, Alfred," she maintained an uninterested look about her but desperately wanted to know what he was thinking, especially if it involved her.

"Something is different," he tells her frowning, and does not elaborate.

She looks at him slightly alarmed but not worried enough to stop her mouth from saying, "Yes", and continues to eat her soup.

He seems surprised that she admitted so easily that something was different. He wonders if she knew what it was. He wasn't sure he knew himself.

She feels it too, whatever it is. This driving force that has made her want to know him, truly know him. She can't help feeling excited when they are undercover and civilians remark on how well they are together. As though it some how validates thoughts she doesn't want to admit she has had. Also because of how embarrassed he gets.

"Do I hold the team back?" He asks suddenly.

Aurora wasn't ready for the question and it was certainly left field from where she thought their conversation was going. _He hasn't got a clue,_ she realizes.

"Of course not, Alfred. You have been an asset to the resistance movement. You're skill set is remarkable; we could not have done half as much without you. You're great undercover, and have never compromised a mission, as others including myself, have done," she tells him quietly.

"So you don't feel like you're babysitting me then? I'm always with you and not the boys; I know you're worried that the Germans will capture me. I know that you can't let them take me alive, that you can't trust the others to kill me when the time comes," he tells her sadly.

"Alfred, that is not why you are always with me, not at all. You and I we pose well together don't we? I mean, I think we do. Would you rather I posed with Tom? Certainly he has more field experience than you but he and I, we could not stand long periods together like this. No, your job is most important and I am a woman and therefore being with me is not suspicious, it is an easy cover. Do you not want to be teamed up with me?" Aurora asks curiously.

"I think we work great together," Alfred states simply.

"Than why do you ask if you're holding us back?"

"Because, something is different, you said as much just now!" Alfred starts to work himself up, tired of trying to figure her out.

Aurora stands and follows him to the kitchen where he has escaped from her. She isn't sure what he is feeling, and she knows that his unusual senses tell him things that she could never feel. Perhaps he is as lousy at understanding his feelings as she is.

"Alfred," she speaks his name and it is like music to his ears. She slowly moves a hand towards him and he steps back and his back collides with a cupboard.

Trapped and with nowhere to go Aurora asks him the question. The one that she has been wanting to ask for awhile, the one that she knows will tell her how he feels in a way that she can understand.

"What colour am I"? She whispers and he closes his eyes.

She keeps hold of his wrist not willing to leave this moment unfinished like so many others before.

Slipping her hand lower, she slowly moves her thumb in a soothing motion on top of his hand never letting her eyes leave his face for a second; he lets out a shaky breath and opens his eyes.

She is much closer to him than he had realized and looking into her eyes, large and innocent, open to whatever he has to tell her.

"Blue," he tells her.

She remembers that blue makes him feel safe, that it feels like home. She smiles at him, squeezes his hand and turns and goes back to the lounge room to her soup.

Alfred doesn't know what it means.

Aurora is not sure either, but she knows it is a good start. He is comfortable with her. He doesn't dislike her.

When he finally returns to his own soup and seats himself next to her, he notices that he never thought of sitting in another chair; they were good at this _cover_ thing. So much so that he did things naturally. That being close to her came easy, even though he had the constant fear that it was dangerous somehow.

"Alfred," She frowns and waits for him to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"I don't want you to be dissatisfied with your job and as commander of this unit if it would be more desirable to you to work some of our jobs with one of the boys, I guess I can step back sometimes," she says stoically.

He nods his head but looks pained at the same time. Aurora notes this and realizes that he doesn't really want to work with them.

"What is it that you're not saying Alfred, I can't understand you sometimes," she smiles sadly.

"Are you and Neil going to pose together then?" He asks as though it must be fact.

Aurora laughs heartily at this and can barely look at his earnest expression without losing herself again in laughter.

"What?" Alfred smiles, her laugh infectious.

"Nothing, nothing, its just that, well, when Rene and I would play the part of the couple Neil would get cranky at us because he thought that we would," she stops and looks up embarrassed.

"He thought that you and Rene weren't fully focusing your efforts on the mission?" Alfred recovered for her and says nothing else.

"Yes, though we never," she stops again not truly wanting to divulge or talk about her relationship with Rene.

"So, you never posed with Tom or Neil?" he asks her surprised.

"No, Rene didn't like that," she smirked.

"I don't think that I would either," he frowns, confused again.

"But you know Rene and I were never really _playing_ though either," she whispers, heart beating fast.

They had both finished with their soups and were having a serious conversation that didn't dare share a lot of eye contact. Trying desperately to understand their situation and not truly wanting to at the same time.

"You loved him," Alfred whispers, knowing it to be true.

"Yes, I loved him back then. We'd been friends before the war, though you know this already," she sighed, the weight of his death no longer having the same melt down effect that it once had.

"Do you think," Alfred looks keenly embarrassed by whatever he was almost asking.

"Do I think what?" She smiles at his bashfulness.

"Do you think that Neil thinks that _we_ aren't fully focusing on the mission," he looks up at her.

"I ah, no. I don't, well perhaps, that is to say, it's not, he doesn't always agree that my being in charge for the best," she stumbles.

"I think sometimes he doesn't trust me, I guess I'm asking if he is upset with the mission or if its personal," Alfred concedes.

"You think that Neil is jealous, of us," Aurora clarifies.

"I don't know, I just know that I feel awkward, and strange and I sense that Neil feels there is something too," he admits.

Aurora had been aware of the boys mumbling about them for weeks. The little looks they sometimes gave her after watching her speaking with Alfred was a clear message that they believe that there is more than friendship blossoming.

"Forget them Alfred, they are silly boys and it is none of their business," she mutters distractedly.

"I didn't mean to upset you, especially about Rene, I know that's none of _my_ business," he whispers trying to find her eyes.

She touches his hand again and his senses are on overload.

"It is okay Alfred," she smirks. "My bijou," she giggles.

He laughs with her but doesn't feel like she really answered any of his questions.

* * *

He reads and old book that he finds within the confines of their small safe house for hours after nightfall, listening for any signs that they've been discovered.

Aurora fell asleep hours ago, and slowly over time came to rest her head in Alfred's lap as he read. He placed a cushion under her head and thought nothing more of it. Now he was sleepy himself and thinking about bed but he didn't want to wake her up.

He gently slips his hand beneath her neck and raises her off his lap, enough to slip out from under her. He turns to look at her sleeping form but doesn't think that it looks at all comfortable.

There are three beds in the safe house so he takes her to the closest one. She is lighter than he had expected. Or he has become stronger, though that is most unlikely, he thinks to himself.

Aurora stirs at the movement before opening her eyes and looking up at Alfred who is focusing intently on making his way to the room. She briefly thinks that he is stronger than he looks. Surprised that he would actually attempt to move her, she is his superior officer after all.

She could only deduce that perhaps without the others here that he is still playing the role of protective husband. Though of course there is no need, no need at all. If it was anyone else she'd have been upset but she likes the way that he holds her. Too tired to consider it in much more detail she closes her eyes and relaxes her body, feeling safe enough to go back to sleep.

Alfred places her atop the covers. She looks like a doll, in her little blue dress. He takes off her shoes and moves to the other side of the bed to pull back the covers. Than rolls her to the other side bring the covers over her. Sitting on the edge of the bed a moment too long, she takes hold of his hand in her sleep pulling it towards her face to snuggle into.

He knows that he can't stay here without so he forcibly removes his hand and goes back out to the couch. He figures he will leave the remaining beds to the boys, they'll be tired when they arrive.

* * *

It is after midnight when Aurora wakes with a shiver. She wonders if Alfred is asleep and decides to check if anyone has arrived yet. She finds him sleeping on the couch the remnants of a smile on his face. He was exhausted and she is glad that he is finally getting some rest, although she can't work out why he didn't take a bed.

There is a quiet tap at the door, and she waits for the whistle that should follow, when it does, she opens the door with a smile. The boys are here!

"You made it!" Aurora cheers quietly ushering them all in.

"Yeah, only just, Tom couldn't take out the guard sufficiently enough for us to escape unnoticed, we had no option, there are more casualties than we planned for," Neil tells her disapprovingly.

"The documents?" Aurora queries.

"With the unexpected interruption there wasn't time. You were right not to send Alfred with us, we couldn't have pulled it off," he says taking off his German soldier attire.

Harry and Tom follow him in looking dejected that they had not been successful in obtaining their goal.

"It is alright, we knew that it was risky and a long shot at that. We'll just have to come up with another way in," she tells them.

"Can we sleep now?" Harry asks yawning. It had been a long night.

"Of course, go on, there is a bed for each of you," she smiles and ushers them through the house.

With everyone asleep Aurora decides to sleep next to Alfred on the couch, it was too cold to sleep in the chair and the idea of curling up next to some warmth seemed much more delightful than shivering somewhere else.

She lays down beside him careful not to wake him and reaches for the blanket that rests on the back of the couch, covering them. He seems to subconsciously realize she is there as he curls on to his side to spoon around her and his arm manages to secure her to his chest so she doesn't fall off. She sighs and closes her eyes, feeling safe and content.


	2. Chapter 2

When Alfred wakes up he feels Aurora curled tightly into him, her head resting on his chest. He doesn't remember how they came to be asleep together on the lounge but he doesn't dislike it.

She smells good, and she smiles in her sleep and looks years younger when her mind is at peace. She clings to him unaware that he is awake. He wonders if she would be as relaxed should she wake. He decides that it would be unlikely and so to prolong the comfort of being close to her; he closes his eyes and tries to drift back to sleep.

Aurora feels safe in her little cocoon of warmth that she almost forgets where she is. The familiar smell of Alfred wakes her eventually and she opens her eyes slowly and turns her head to look up at his sleeping form.

She had rolled over some time during the early hours of the morning and was now facing his chest. He was holding her, keeping her from falling off. They fit well, on the couch, she thinks.

She doesn't have long to ponder much more before Alfred's eyes are on hers. He smiles slightly at her not moving or letting go and she smiles back evenly.

"I'm sorry, the boys took all of the beds and I figured it was fair to let them sleep. I didn't think you would mind," Aurora whispers.

"I don't," he replies.

"Good."

Whilst they carried on their intimate little conversation, Neil crept around them unnoticed and interrupted.

"I see you two have gotten better acquainted," he mutters accusingly.

Aurora sits up, her hand balancing on Alfred's chest before giving him a look and standing up and brushing herself off.

"I thought since you'd had a big night you'd all appreciate a bed," Aurora tells him.

"I don't see you jumping in with any of us though, do I?" Neil grunts pouring himself some tea.

"Leave her alone Neil," Alfred speaks up, a rarity for him.

Neil looks over at Alfred stares him down for a moment, then decides to leave it be, nodding, he moves back to his room.

"You don't need to fight my battles for me," she tells Alfred softly.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry, it was just a reflex," he hangs his head berating himself.

Feeling annoyed with herself for directing any anger about Neil at Alfred she softens and takes a seat beside him.

"It's none of Neil's business, whatever he thinks is going on between us, and he can think whatever he likes. We are professional and we are here to help the resistance. There is little happiness in war, and if we have moments of it sometimes well, then that is ours, Alfred," she states firmly.

Alfred mulls over what she is saying, "ours," he repeats.

They lock eyes and nod at their new understanding. It was the closest they had gotten to really putting into words what was going on.

Tom, Harry and Neil all come out of the bedrooms looking fresher than the night before. Tom is the first to address the mission.

"I think after last nights failed infiltration that we are going to have to come up with another angle. We can't risk being seen again and they will be on high alert for an intruder. I think our best bet is for Alfred to dress as a soldier and for Aurora to accompany him," he tells them gently.

Neil raises his eyebrows at Tom as though frustrated with him; Harry looks between everyone, not fully understanding where Tom is going with his idea.

"In what way shall I _accompany_ Alfred," demands Aurora.

"In a way that will not arouse suspicion," Tom smiles.

Harry has caught on at this point and Neil has accepted it as their only option and does not protest.

Tom continues his explanation; "You can behave as though you are an intoxicated soldier who is bringing back some intimate company to his barracks. Once you find the soldiers quarters nobody is likely to interrupt your liaison," he smirks.

Aurora frowns and looks over to Alfred who is looking at the ground.

"If anybody interrupts you have a way to hide your faces or to appear _busy_ until they leave. From there you can find your way over to the Lieutenants operations room and take a look at the documents so we can plan our next move," Tom finishes, crossing his arms and looking at Aurora awaiting confirmation.

"If this is our only option, I say we must take it. Alfred?" Aurora questions and motions towards him and he makes eye contact.

"Of course, I will do my best," he looks about the room and lands his eyes on Neil, who simply nods at him in agreement.

"Right, Neil and Harry you go and find Alfred the clothes that he will need and work out the best time for us to attempt infiltration. Tom, you are in charge of keeping eyes on the Lieutenant and finding out when he leaves his operation room unattended," Aurora instructs the team.


End file.
